LIVE

South African 14-year old drummer prodigy Danno Peterson teams up with some of the best Bay Area Masters for night of rhythmic explosions, a funky songbook and celebration of the spirit. One of many, from his Education and Performance USA Tour with a goal of reaching 100k students of all ages by sharing his story and talent through workshops and shows.

Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 8pm
at Piedmont Piano Company
1728 San Pablo Ave. (at 18th), Oakland, CA

$20 – To reserve tickets with your credit card, please call (510) 547-8188

“Danno” Petersen – drums
Playing drums since he was a toddler, South African Daniel “Danno” Petersen III has accrued an impressive resume of accomplishments including performances at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival when he was only six years old, performing for presidents, diplomats, dignitaries including former President Nelson Mandela– among others. On September 27, 2016, Danno joined the Drum Workshop Inc. family as an official international endorsed artist of DW drums, pedals and hardware.

In 2017, he will launch his USA Education & Performance Tour from February until April 2017. The goal for Danno and his foundation is to conduct his entertaining and interactive music master classes to reach 100k students of all grade levels, and performances in the evenings.

Pursuing academic success has also been a strong passion for education. At the age of 11, he became South Africa’s youngest-ever college student by enrolling at the University of Western Cape and by November 2016 he will become the youngest person in Africa with an undergraduate degree in music at age 14. Danno promotes his story by showcasing his talent through the the spirit of music, community and fun. dannodrummerboy.com

Frank Martin – Piano/Keys
As a clinician/teacher Frank Martin is currently on staff at the University of California at Berkeley, as well as the Jazzschool in Berkeley, California, teaching classes in arranging, composition, rhythm, piano, improv, as well as leading combos. He also regularly teaches at summer music camps for kids as well as adults, such as the “Lafayette Summer Music Workshops”, “Operation Jazz Band” (sponsored by The Healdsburg Jazz Festival), “Jazz Camp West”, and San Jose’s “Jazz Goes to College.” Numerous instructional videos are available at frankmartinproductions.com.

Destani Wolf – Vocals
Whether opening for Alice Smith or Laura Mvula at San Francisco’s ‘The Independent’, performing live with the likes of UK’s Alice Russell on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ or gracing the stage with shows in New York (‘Lincoln Center’, ‘Joe’s Pub’), San Francisco Bay (‘Yoshi’s, ‘Bimbos’, ‘Stern Grove Festival’) and Los Angeles (‘LACMA’, ‘Sonos Studio’, ‘UCLA Jazz Reggae Fest’), Destani Wolf — who also writes songs and sings in Spanish, has recordings on two Grammy-nominated Latin Jazz LPs (John Santos ‘S.F. BAY’ and Jose Rizo’s ‘MONGORAMA’). She recently contributed vocals for the songs “Crossroads” and “Live like a Warrior” by Jewish-American, reggae-emcee Matisyahu while working with producer Kool Kojak (Nicki Minaj, Flo Rida, Ke$ha), and has also lent her voice to other projects with Artists such as Seu Jorge, Zap Mama, Quantic, SoVosó (Bobby McFerrin offshoot), Bay Area favorite, O-maya and The Pharcyde. Her solo debut LP ‘AGAIN and AGAIN’ (‘06) still remains an underground classic of edgy soul. destaniwolf.com

Richard Howell Music – Saxes
Multi-instrumentalist, saxophonist, vocalist, Richard Howell has explored a vast spectrum of music. His powerful, sensually melodic saxophone playing has been heard with artists as diverse and definitive as blues/jazz/soul legends Etta James, Chaka Khan, Maurice White, Narada Michael Walden, Della Reese, Cecil Taylor, Don Cherry, Billy Higgins, Charlie Haden, Hilton Ruiz, Bernard Purdie, Buddy Guy, Bobby Watson, Regina Carter, Jimmy Smith, Charlie Musselwhite, Joe Louis Walker, Ledisi, Taj Mahal. Continuing with such progressive Latin/Afro/rhythmic pioneers as Willie Bobo, Bill Summers, Pete Escovedo, Mingo Lewis, John Santos, and the Motels among others. wireonfire.com/richardhowell/rhq

Gary Brown – Bass
Born into a family of musicians Gary Brown’s inevitable musical career began at an early age. By his eleventh birthday Gary was already performing in jazz bands with his two brothers and his father, jazz trumpeter Wilbert Brown. Gary went on to form his own bands and develop a talent and reputation as a skilled and versatile bassist.

In the past 20 years Gary has toured extensively in the United States, Europe, Asia ,South America and the Middle East where he has recorded and shared the stage with Flora Purim & Airto, Pharaoh Sanders Jeff Beal, Steve Winwood, Narada Michael Walden, Dianne Reeves, Lou Rawls , Ernie Watts, John Lucien, Torninho Horta , Eddie Henderson , Joyce, Alex Acuna, Dori Caymmi, George Duke, Roy Ayres ,Oscar Castro Neves , Lyle Mays, Giovanni Hidalgo, Mike Shrieve, Paul McCandles, Alphonse Mouzon, Andy Narrell, Pete and Sheila (Sheile E.) Escovedo, Jose Neto Quartet.

Currently dividing his time performing with Flora Purim & Airto, Anamandara Trio and the Rebeca Mauleon Group, Gary continues to compose, perform and produce with various artists and is writing music for his first solo project. mellowtonemusic.com

Jaz Sawyer – Percussion
Jaz Sawyer (with one “Z”) began playing drums at age of 2 in the Haight Ashbury district of San Francisco, California. His musical studies has taken him through the music programs at the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Stanford Jazz Workshop and The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. In 2006, Sawyer earned his Masters in Public Administration from the Metropolitan College of New York and currently continuing doctoral studies in Education.

Jaz possesses an eclectic and refined personal style of drumming that stems from his deep roots in his Classical, Jazz, West-African and Afro-Caribbean musical training. Jaz has worked with many notable artists, including Wynton Marsalis, Abbey Lincoln, George Benson, Bobby Hutcherson, Jacky Terrasson and Dee Dee Bridgewater in some of the world’s premier concert venues, including The Blue Note, The Village Vanguard, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center and the Sydney Opera House.

In addition to the day to day operations for his Sawyer Consulting Firm, Jaz serves board duties for Rocking Causes, East LA City College, and is actively involved in communities including the SF Bay Area, New Orleans, New York and Los Angeles, where he currently resides. jazsawyer.com